Editing commands

Most of the time, you just type commands using the keyboard. If you make a mistake, you just type the command again, being careful not to repeat the mistake. However, Linux shells have several built-in editing features that can simplify the task of correcting a mistaken command or entering a sequence of similar commands:

• If you want to repeat a command that you've used recently, press the up-arrow key. This action recalls your most recently executed commands. You can press Enter to execute a command as is, or you can edit the command before you execute it.
• The shell has a handy auto-complete feature that can finish partially spelled directory, file, or command names. Just type part of the name and then press the Tab key. If you've typed enough for the shell to figure out what you mean, the shell finishes the name for you. Otherwise, it just beeps, in which case you can type a few more letters and try again. In some cases, the shell displays a list of items that match what you've typed so far to help you know what to type next.